WEBVTT
IS IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION.
>> BALTIMORE CITY.
DAVID: BALTIMORE CITY SURPASSES
A GRIM MILESTONE, 300 MURDERS.
THE HOMICIDE CLEARANCE RATE IS
37%.
NONFATAL SHOOTIN IS AN
UNFORTUNATE NORM IN SOME CITY
NEIGHBORHOODS.
POLICE FOR REFORM NEGOTIATIONS
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
ARE DRAGGING ON.
BALTIMORE POLICE COMMISSIONER
KEVIN DAVIS IS OFFERING HIS
DEPARTMENT'S HELP IN SOLVING A
20-YEAR-OLD MURDER.
ONE THAT OCCURRED IN ANOTHER
JURISDICTION.
JODY LECRNU DIED FROM A SINGLE
GUN SHOT WOUND TO THE BACK.
IT HAPPENED IN MARCH 1996.
IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING
SHE STOPPED IN THE PARKING LOT
OF THE DRUMCASTLE GOV CENTER IN
-- GOVERNMENT CENTER IN TOWSON.
EARLIER IN THE EVENING, SHE
SPENT TIME AT THE MOUNT
WASHINGTON TAVERN IN THE CIT
COMMISSIONER DAVIS SENT A HAND
WRITTEN LETTER TO JODY'S TWIN
SISTER.
>> DEAR JENNY, I READ WITH GREAT
INTEREST IN TODAY'S SUNPAPER
ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BELOVED TWIN
SISTER JODY.
SHE UNDOUBTEDLY KNOWS YOU ARE
STILL FIGHTING FOR HER.
PLEASE KNOW MY POLICE DEPARTMENT
STANDS READY TO ASSIST THE
BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICE
DEPARTMENT IN ANY WAY NECESSARY.
DAVID WITH SO MUCH ON THE
: COMMISSIONER'S PLATE, WHY IS
HE OFFERING TO HELP?
ACCORDING TO A SPOKESPERSON, THE
COMMISSIONER ROUTINELY WRITES
HANDWRITTEN NOTES TO PEOPLE AND
HE WAS SIMPLY RELAYING HIS
CONDOLENCES AND OUR AGENCY'S
READINESS TO SUPPORT THE
BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICE
SHOULD THEY NEED ANY ASSISTANCE
DEPARTMENT WITH A CRIME THAT
, COULD HAVE POSSIBILY STARTED
IN THE CITY.
A CITY DETECTIVE CONTACTED
JENNY.
HE WANTS TO LOOK INTO ENHANCING
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO TO IDENTIFY
THE KILLER, SOMETHING THE COUNTY
CANNOT DO.
>> TO ENHANCE THAT VIDEO WOULD
PROBABLY SOLVE THE CASE.
OUR LAST CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT
THE VIDEO.
DAVID: OUR DETECTIVES SPOKE TO
THE HOMICIDE SERGEANT AND SAID
WE WOULD REACH OUT IF WE NEEDED
THEM.
AFTER BEING SHOT, SHE DROVE TO A
GIANT FOOD STORE PARKING LOT.
WITNESSES SAW THE SUSPECT
DRIVING A WHITE BMW, FOLLOW HER,
REACH INTO THE VEHICLE, TAKE
SOMETHING FROM THE CAR.
JENNY IS SUING TO GET A COPY OF
HER SISTER'S CASE FILE.
POLICE ARE RESISTING.
>> LEADS ARE NOT FOLLOWED UP ON.
THAT IS WHY IT IS SO
DISCOURAGING.
DAVID: THE ATTORNEY BELIEVES THE
COMMISSIONERS LETTER MAY HELP
WITH THE LAWSUIT.
HE IS NOT SECOND GUESSING,
BUT CONFIRMS THERE IS A NEED FOR
FRESH PAIR OF EYES.

Baltimore City police offer help in 20-year-old Baltimore County cold case

There is a new development Thursday in a 20-year-old cold murder case in Towson. In what many people may consider a highly unusual move, Baltimore City Police Commissioner Kevin Davis offered his department's help in solving the crime.

It's a new twist that comes as a surprise given the commissioner's full plate and that the cold case is in another jurisdiction. Baltimore City has surpassed a grim milestone of 300 homicides and the department's clearance rate is only 37 percent.

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Nonfatal shootings are an unfortunate norm in some city neighborhoods. Police reform negotiations with the Department of Justice are dragging on.

It is against this backdrop that Davis offered help.

Jody LeCornu died of a single gunshot wound to the back in March 1996. In the early hours of the morning, she stopped in the parking lot of the Drumcastle Government Center in Towson. Earlier in the evening, she spent time in the city at the Mt. Washington Tavern.

"Dear Jenny, I read with great interest in today's Sun paper about you and your beloved twin sister Jody. She undoubtedly knows you are still fighting for her. Please know my police department stands ready to assist the Baltimore County Police Department in any way necessary," the letter read.

WBAL-TV\David Collins

With so much on the commissioner's plate, why is he offering to help?

"The commissioner routinely writes handwritten notes to people and he was simply relaying his condolences and our agency's readiness to support the Baltimore County Police Department should they need any assistance with a crime that could have possibility started in the city," Baltimore police media Chief T.J. Smith said.

A city detective contacted Carrieri. She said he wants to look into enhancing surveillance video to help identify the killer, something the county said it's unable to do.

"To enhance that video would probably solve the case, that was the last conversation talking about the video," Carrieri said.

Baltimore County police spokeswoman Elise Armacost said, "Our detectives spoke to their homicide sergeant and said we'd reach out if we needed them."

After getting shot, LeCornu drove across the street to a Giant food store parking lot. Witnesses saw the suspect driving a white BMW follow her, reach into the vehicle and take something out of the car.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, Carrieri is suing to get a copy of her sister's case file. County police are resisting.

"There's just all these leads that aren't being followed up on and that's why it is so discouraging," Carrieri said.

The attorney representing Carrieri believes the commissioner's letter may help with the lawsuit. Mike May said he's not second guessing the efforts of Baltimore County, but contends the city police offer confirms there's an obvious need for a fresh pair of eyes on the case.